Weir on the River Darwen

The Weir on the River Darwen as I remember it around 1977. The mill race was still in use, and you had to walk the narrow path along the riverside. My father, Eric, and Uncle H Miller-Crook, as local joiners on Chapel Lane corner, used to repair three of the footbridges along this path.. This would be one of them. This is quite an early photo according to Herbert, as in later days, the bridge would have had a rail on either side.

Footbridge near the weir on the River Darwen 

It used to be a lovely walk between river and mill race (shown on the right). When the "cut" or "race" was filling faster the the mill's waterwheel could use it the small waterfall acted ast the overflow and the water went back down under this little footbridge into the river. Back in the early 70's you could look in through an opening on the side of the mill and watch the waterwheel turning. I remember being frightened as a child seeing the water disappear as a raging channel under the mill.

Here are some more photos slightly higher up the river

 This path used to be a favourite stroll for the mill workers. My own grandmother, Mable Windle and sister Marion must have come down here often with their friends. They worked in higher mill and lived at the Barracks on Chapel Lane.

This old postcard below mentions Hoghton Station and the emblem on the right is Lancashire and Yorkshire Railways, the date is 1905. The railway stop for Hoghton Tower was within ten minutes walk of the waterfall and weir

1905